Department holds Biennial Thanksgiving Service

28 Feb 2018

The Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience hosted its fourth Thanksgiving Service in memory of the people who donated their bodies for medical research. An important date in the Calender of the College of Medicine & Health at UCC, the Thanksgiving Service was held in the Honan Chapel UCC on Monday February 19th 2018. The service is a non-denominational celebration of the lives of all donors and especially of those donors who were part of the donation programme in the past two years.

Picture above: Passing the Flame of Knowledge. A Family member lights candles held by students symbolising the passing of knowledge form loved ones to students representing the School of Medicine. Donor Names added to the register over the past two years are read aloud. Photo from left; a student passes the flame to staff member Ms Miriam Dorgan, Senior Executive Assistant, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience.

Professor Helen Whelton Professor Stephen Cusack and Professor John Cryan addressing the attendees

Donor families, friends, staff and students were welcomed to the celebration by Professor Helen Whelton Head of College of Medicine and Health, Professor Stephen Cusack, Dean of Medicine and Professor of Emergency Medicine and Professor John Cryan Head of Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience. 

Professor John Cryan thanked the families on behalf of the University, "We are very grateful to those who are generous enough to donate their bodies for medical science and education. Such bequests are essential to our proper functioning within the Medical and other Health Science schools. The body donors’ selfless and public-spirited actions benefit the education of approximately 600 students each year. I am delighted to say, representatives of our students that have benefited from this generosity will take an active part in the Service and acknowledge the gift they have been given by their “first patients”".

 UCC Choir conducted by Dr Eva McMullan-Glossop performing Amazing Grace by John Field

Mr Paul Kiely, Consultant Orthopaedic & Spinal Surgeon, Fr Gerard Dunne, Head Chaplain UCC Chapliancy, Dr Siobhain O'Mahony Lecturer and Principal Investigator Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience invited speakers at the Thanksgiving Service.

Students from the School of Medicine reading and remembering donors' lives and the benefit of the body donation programme to the study of anatomy.

Student musicians from the School of Medicine UCC from top left: Miracle Grace Tullao Ong & Sarah Amanda Folk Wen Hui,  Guitar: Jerusha John with Mr Michael Cronin orator. Soloist on piano Ciara Cullinane, Direct Entry Medicine 1 and Quercus Music Scholar in UCC, Memorial candles, Violin duo Genevieve Walsh & Sean Seltzer Graduate Entry Medicine 1

Technical staff members from the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience FLAME laboratory and organisers of the Thanksgiving Service. (Left to right) Ms Carrie O'Flynn, Dr Sue Grenham, Mr Michael Cronin and Ms Deirdre Kelleher.

Concluding the service, a closing message' was delivered by Fr Gerard Dunne and 'A Blessing' by Jay Althouse was performed by the UCC Choir conducted by Dr. Eva McMullan-Glossop and accompanied by organist Mr Padraig Wallace.

After the service family, friends, students and staff retired to a reception in the Staff Common Room North Wing.

In addition to the many staff members and family members who helped organise and took part in this event we wish to thank the following students who also contributed;

Aoife Ni Ghoilin, Ciara Cullinane, Direct Entry Medicine 1 and Quercus Music Scholar in UCC, Dr. Elias Abdullah, MSc student Anatomy, Genevieve Walsh, Graduate Entry Medicine, Harsha Daswani, Direct Entry Medicine 1, Jerusha John, Direct Entry Medicine 1, Leona Singleton, MSc Student Anatomy, Miracle Grace Tullao Ong, Molly O’Mahony Direct Entry Medicine 1, Patricia O’Flynn, Neuroscience 4, Roisin McDonnell, Sarah Amanda Folk Wen Hui, Direct Entry Medicine 1, Sean Emerson, Direct Entry Medicine 1, Sean Seltzer Graduate Entry Medicine 1, Stephanie Shea, Graduate Entry Medicine 1, Walaa Albazroon, Neuroscience 4, Yolande Scoleri, Graduate Entry Medicine 1, Ziana Dala, Dentistry 2.

If you are interested in the Anatomical Donation Programme, and wish to make enquiries, please contact: Ms. Miriam Dorgan (021) 4205497 or email  anatomy@ucc.ie

Photographs B.Riedewald